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Glasgow peace demo too big for main square

January 1st, 2003

Organisers of the 15 February anti-war demonstration in Glasgow have had to change the venue from George Square to Glasgow Green as the numbers expected to attend are too large. The Scottish Coalition for Justice Not War, which includes Pax Christi, CCND and many more church groups decided to change the assembly point after advice from Strathclyde Police. Organisers now expect over 20,000 people to take part, while the square only holds 12,000. The Coalition are asking people to assemble between 10.00 and 11.00am when they will march to a rally against war on Iraq outside the Conference centre, where Prime Minister Tony Blair will be addressing the 3,500 Labour Party delegates. Elinor McKenzie, chair of the Scottish Coalition for Justice Not War said: "The demonstration is set to be the largest demonstration of its kind in Glasgow in the last twenty years. We are being overwhelmed with an unprecedented number of requests for information and have already had to order additional leaflets to cope with the demand. Groups from all over Scotland are coming. "People from as far away as Orkney in the north and Manchester in England are planning to come and many anti-war groups in the north of England are coming to Glasgow instead of going to the demonstration being held in London on the same day. We expect the demonstration will deliver a message to Tony Blair that an overwhelming majority of Scots believe war with Iraq will not be in our name." Invited speakers to the rally include the Moderator of the Church of Scotland; Tony Benn; John Swinney; Provost Alex Mosson and Tommy Sheridan. More details will be announced on Thursday 30 January in Augustine Church on George IV Bridge, Edinburgh at 1.30pm..

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